Update: Mississippi attorney, Paul Newton Jr., who claims he "almost choked to death" on the fried chicken because he wasn’t given a knife,announced on Thursday that he is dropping the lawsuit after receiving negative comments directed towards his family.

Advertisement

"I continue to believe that the facts demonstrate an unsafe condition to the public that could easily be solved by the responsible parties at very little cost," Newton told Huffington Post in an email. "I am hopeful that my filing of the court proceeding results in such remedial actions."

Previously:

Mississippi attorney is suing Popeyes after he says he choked when he had to eat a piece of fried chicken with his hands because a knife wasn’t included in his drive-thru order.

Paul Newton Jr., who filed the lawsuit this week, says the only utensil he was given last November at the Gulfport restaurant was a spork.

The lawsuit states that because Newton didn’t receive a plastic knife, his only option was to hold the chicken breast with his hands and tear off pieces with his teeth, causing him to choke.

The lawsuit says Newton underwent emergency surgery to remove the piece of chicken from his throat.

Renee Kopkowski, Popeyes’ vice president of Brand Communications, said in an email that the company doesn’t comment on ongoing litigation.

Along with knives for all drive-thru customers’ orders, Newton is also seeking financial compensation and punitive damages from several defendants.